Let us use your pool, residents tell school

A school dubbed the “socialist Eton” has been accused of breaking a promise to allow its neighbours to use its new basement swimming pool.

Allowing residents to take a dip in the 25-metre pool was a key condition of permission being granted for Holland Park School to build a six-storey £80 million building, according to a community group.

Neighbours have been barred from using the four-lane pool since work finished last October, and residents have now called on Kensington and Chelsea council to force the school to let them use it.

Donald Cameron, from Holland Park, said: “Use of the sports facilities was a condition precedent of the planning permission. It needs to be implemented. This is another example of an out-of-control council shafting residents.”

David White, chairman of Campden Hill residents’ association, has demanded that the council’s legal department start enforcement action against the school, which counts Labour MP Hilary Benn and comedian Omid Djalili among its alumni.

Mr White wrote to the council: “In spite of all these claims, and the promises made to the community and secured by the planning condition, it remains entirely unfulfilled and there is not the slightest indication that the planning department intends to bring the appropriate enforcement action.”

In reply, Jonathan Bore, executive director of planning and borough development, wrote: “It may be that the community use plan as originally devised does not now reflect the operational needs and management structure of the school. If that is the case, the sensible objective should be to replace it with something workable rather than attempt to enforce something that may be unworkable.

“I share your frustration that … is still being breached, but am confident that a mutually acceptable and workable solution can be found.”

A council spokesman said: “All parties continue to be committed to community use of the school’s fac-ilities but now ... staff have been able to test the practical implications of the existing community use plan. Those tests have highlighted some operational difficulties. One way forward would be for the school to propose adjustments to the community use plan.”

Head teacher Colin Hall has previously said: “We wanted to build something that was not like a school ... You get some sense that we were giving our students something special.”